Here’s the link to the article.

When Brunswick was down to $2.14 last March with not much hope in sight, it paralleled the depths to which the economy had faltered. You don’t need an MBA to figure out that when people lose their disposable income, the leisure industries take the biggest hits.

While no one is saying everything’s back to the good old days, this is a positive sign that maybe we’ve turned the corner. That the NMMA is predicting flat sales numbers for 2010, rather than another double-digit percentage loss in sales, is another good sign.

The Brunswick CEO is quoted as being cautiously optimistic in this article. It’s a billiard news site, but it’s mostly about the boat biz.

First in, last out. Gotta love the center console.

Unless you live in Florida or other points South, now is the time of defrosting, and to think about launching your boat. Here in the Northeast, I always like to take a drive past the marinas and yacht clubs and see which types of boats splash first. Odds are that first boat of spring is going to be a center console. They’re the robins of the boating world. Why? Fishing.

Some of the best fishing is on the margins of good spring and fall weather and anglers are likely to put up with just about anything if the bite is on. You’ll see sailboats lingering on their moorings well into November for the fall racing, but it seems like they follow the leader in spring. After that you get some cruisers and then the runabout/dayboat crowd that plugs in from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Think I’ve got it wrong? Prove me wrong. Send in a time-stamped photo of you and your boat on launch day to editor[AT]overboardboater[dotcom]. I’ll post it here with your permission and maybe, if I like yours best, I’ll send a hat or something.*

*(No promises because then it becomes a contest and I have to put up a 50-page disclaimer and 30-1,000 contest rules, with State eligibility exemptions and whatnot. So no guarantees or anything of the sort.)

Photo courtesy of www.chaparralboats.com

One of the worst feelings in boating is the one you get when you realize, after running around all day, that you don’t have enough fuel to get home. It happens.

The general rule of thumb when you leave the slip or launch at the ramp is to abide by the rule of thirds: use one third of your tank to get out, one third to get home, and keep one third in reserve. Why that extra third? Changing sea conditions could mean you’ll need to burn more fuel to cover the same distance going one way versus the other.

Watching the fuel gauge is important, but how many fuel gauges out there are accurate enough to fully trust?

A far more reliable gauge would be an in-dash digital fuel flow monitor. Many new boats today come standard with electronic fuel management systems such as Mercury’s SmartCraft gauges. If not, it’s worth the upgrade. Some brands have both miles per gallon (mpg) and gallons per hour (gph) settings; others have just one or the other.

Toggle through the modes on the gauge. Using SmartCraft as an example, you can get an instant digital readout of a lot of vital material–fuel to waypoint, fuel level, low fuel level warning, fuel used, fuel flow, and fuel range. You can also look at instant and average mpg.

SmartCraft can display instant and average mpg.

If you are so inclined, you can calculate your boat’s estimated range on your own with the same formulas that magazines use for performance data charts. For gasoline inboards and outboards, record the speed and gph burn at 1000 rpm, then proceed through the rpm band at 500 increments until you reach wide-open throttle.

Builders and magazines typically estimate range based on 90 percent of the fuel capacity, with the following quick formulas:

Miles Per Gallon = MPH/GPH.

Range = .9(Fuel Capacity) x MPG

So if you record 3 mpg at 3500 rpm, and you have a 100 gallon tank, your range–if you cruised the whole time at that speed–would be around 270 miles.

There are a lot of other variables involved–tide, current, wind, sea state, added weight from fuel, gear, and people–but if you tried to keep the throttle close to 3500 rpm and follow the rule of thirds, you know you could head out around 90 miles before turning back.

Or, if you have them, you could let  the algorithms in your fuel management gauges do the work. Or you could hope there’s an easily reached fuel dock between you and home. Or you could bring aboard a sturdy tow rope and a membership card to Sea Tow.

BoatUS sent this in an email news alert as a reminder of why you should wear your lifejackets.

WATCH THE VIDEO

From the email:

The good news is all survived. The man referenced in the video who needed CPR to be revived is now sitting up in bed and in stable condition at the hospital.

As we approach the summer boating season, I hope this incident helps us all understand the importance of life jackets. Are yours in good shape, inspected and ready to go? And are you willing to wear it more often?”

Not many boat companies have a history rich enough for a video documentary, but Chris-Craft does. Check out this nine minute video on YouTube.

Currents of Belize from McJ Digital on Vimeo.

Costa Del Mar is a sunglass maker that supports conservation causes and grass roots fishing around the world. They produce and sponsor a lot of fishing videos, including this one about Belize: How development is changing it, and affecting its world-famous flats fishing.

The NIOSH Estimated Workplace Noises Chart

Take a look at the chart above. It’s from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). As you can see, sustained exposure to 85 dB-A and above ain’t good for you. Now browse through your nearest boating magazine and read through the boat tests–the good ones record dB-A throughout the rpm range. Where does your boat’s noise levels fall?

Nobody thinks about it, but I wrote a Seamanship column on the subject several years ago. It can affect your judgement and level of fatigue during long stretches at the helm.

You can get the numbers on your boat yourself, with the same tool most editors–and boat company technicians–use on boat tests. A digital model from Radio Shack will tell you what you need to know. It costs $50 (www.radioshack.com).

To get the best numbers, set the meter to the “A” weighting and “slow” response setting, which does a better job of averaging the sound level for a steadier read. Stick the microphone close to the helm and have everybody shut up, then record the numbers at 500 rpm increments. You’ll notice that on any open-helm boat, whether you have a stern drive with an insulated engine compartment or a whisper quiet four-stroke outboard, wind noise overtakes engine noise shortly after climbing on plane. And not long after that, the sound level will be above the red line on the NIOSH chart above.

For long distance runs, try headphones or earplugs made for shooting sports, motorcycling, or industrial machinery.  Try something like these inexpensive QuietEar Reusable Plugs.

Suzuki continued its trend of revamping its smaller horsepower outboard line-up, with the recent introduction of its DF40 and DF50 models.

Here’s a quick summary in Suzuki’s words, not mine:

Initial tests have shown that these two new generation outboards use 23% less fuel than the current 40 and 50 models, especially in the cruising range where the engine is used for the majority of the time.

Both of these new outboards are based on Suzuki’s proven inline three-cylinder dual overhead cam (DOHC) 12-value engine with 941 cm3 (57.4 cu.in.) of displacement.

For example, Suzuki engineers report that the new DF40 and DF50 are 6% faster in their top speed and 25% quicker in acceleration than the current Suzuki models.

File this under things we want. Brunton introduced this new Restore Portable Power Device, made for camping but it looks like it could be cool for on the water, too. It’s water resistant with a rubberized shell and its compact solar panels have a claimed 90-percent power capture, giving you green recharge capability for your phone, iPod, digital camera, and other electronics.

The unit will charge from the solar panels, computer USB, or 12v adapter, giving it a lot of versatility. Looks like it could be a recharge solution on small boats where 12v may be in short supply but access to the sun is limitless.

Price: $90, www.brunton.com

A flashlight that plugs into your 12V outlet and recharges in 90 seconds? Sounds too good to be true, but it exists. 5.11 Tactical sent me a tester unit of its UC3.400 “Light For Life” flashlight a while back, and after a season of use I’d call it a solid addition to your onboard tool collection.

The flashlight recharges through an ultracapacitor electrostatic storage system rather than chemical batteries, which allows for the fast recharge.The UC3.400 features three LED lights that last for 50,000 hours of use. Fully charged, the light operates for 60 minutes at 90 lumens, and 15 minutes at peak 270 lumen output. There’s also a 270-lumen strobe mode.

While I wouldn’t use it to locate channel markers on a midnight cruise, it’s good for looking around the engine compartment, going belowdecks, or fumbling around at the launch ramp on a pre-dawn mission. It features a rugged housing, to law enforcement specs, and because it lasts forever and you don’t need to worry about dead batteries, you can stow it onboard long term.

Price: $170, Contact: www.511tactical.com

As an afterthought, 5.11 threw in a pair of Taclite Pro Shorts:

Made of a lightweight cotton/poly blend, the Taclite shorts are treated with Teflon for stain and water resistance. They’re made for cops on the beat, but I’ve been wearing them as fishing shorts. They wash off easily, they don’t absorb fish blood, they’re breathable, and they’re super rugged. Plus, the “magazine” back pocket holds my fly box for quick access and the external knife pocket works for a fishing blade or a pair of pliers. I’d recommend them to any angler for inshore and offshore duty.

Price: $45